Frame for a switchgear cabinet

ABSTRACT

A frame for a switchgear cabinet including horizontal and vertical frame pieces of the front and rear side each forming a vertical frame. The vertical frames are joined to one another by a bottom element and a top element. The vertical frames can be placed at different intervals on beveled fastening edges of the bottom and top elements. The vertical frame pieces have a base limb, which extends in a direction of the frame depth and to which two lateral limbs are coupled. The lateral limbs are situated at a right angle to the base limb, and the lateral limbs and the base limb each have a row of fastening locations with a distribution pattern, wherein the row runs in the longitudinal direction of the frame pieces. The distribution pattern of both lateral limbs differ from one another, and both vertical frame pieces form an imperial fastening plane with the fastening locations of the first lateral limbs, and form a metric fastening plane with the fastening locations of the second lateral limbs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a rack for a switchgear cabinet withhorizontal and vertical profiled frame elements, wherein the verticaland horizontal profiled frame elements of the front and backrespectively form a vertical frame, wherein two vertical frames areconnected with each other by a bottom and a top element, the verticalframes can be attached to beveled fastening rims of the bottom and thetop element at different distances, the vertical profiled frame elementshave a base leg extending in a direction of a depth of the rack, towhich two lateral legs are connected, the lateral legs extend at rightangles with respect to the base leg, and the lateral legs and the baseleg each have a row of fastening receivers extending in a longitudinaldirection of the profiles in a spacing grid.

2. Discussion of Related Art

A rack is known from PCT International Application WO 95/17803. Twovertical frames are fastened to the bottom and top element at differentdistances from each other, so that the rack can be brought to differentinstallation depths for built-ins. Here, the vertical frames representcomponents, which have beveled edges with rows of fastening receivers.

The horizontal and vertical profiled frame elements have identical rowsof fastening frames, which are preferably arranged in uniform spacinggrids. The spacing grid is also matched to the spacing grid of thefastening locations of the built-ins.

As U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,166 shows, known racks have two spaced apartvertical frames, wherein the vertical profiled frame section has a baseleg and two beveled-off lateral legs. The lateral legs of the verticalprofiled frame sections support different fastening receivers indifferent spacing grids.

More and more, component supports, into which individual plug-in unitscan be pushed side-by-side, are used as built-ins in a rack of thistype. The individual plug-in units have different widths andinstallation depths and are designed for a metric or an inch system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one object of this invention to provide a rack of the typementioned above but so that it can be constructed with uniform parts forthe installation of built-ins in accordance with a metric, as well as aninch system.

In accordance with this invention, this object is attained with spacinggrids of the two lateral legs being different from each other, whereinthe two vertical profiled frame elements with the fastening receivers ofthe first lateral legs form a fastening level measured in inches, andthe fastening frames of the second lateral legs form a metric fasteninglevel. On an end facing away from the first lateral leg the base legmakes a transition into an angled-off profiled section, from whichextends a profiled side, which extends parallel with the base leg. On anend facing away from the first lateral leg the base leg makes atransition into an angled-off profiled section, from which a profiledside extends, which extends parallel with the base leg. The secondlateral leg is beveled off the profiled side, and the profiled side andthe second lateral leg have a row of fastening frames arranged in thesame spacing grid.

With the variable distance of the two vertical frames it is possible tomatch the rack to the installation depth of the built-ins. The verticalframes can be connected with the bottom or top element with their firstor second lateral leg directed toward the front. With this simple way ofmounting, the rack can be laid out for the installation of built-inseither based on the metric or the inch system. A particularly simplerack structure results if the vertical frames with the base legs of thevertical profiled frame elements rest against the insides of thefastening rims of the bottom and top elements and are connected withthem.

The connection of the vertical frames with the bottom and top element isdesigned in accordance with one embodiment so that the vertical framesrest with the base legs of the vertical profiled frame elements againstthe insides of the fastening rims of the bottom and top elements and areconnected with them.

If the vertical profiled frame elements and the horizontal profiledframe elements of the vertical frames are stamped and bent sheet metalelements and are connected by welding to form the vertical frame, thevertical frames can be produced in a cost-effective manner andconstitute a stable, aligned component, which can be quickly and easilyassembled with a bottom and top element to form a rack.

In one embodiment, the bottom and the top elements are formed as trimelements of the rack and can also be produced as stamped and bent sheetmetal elements. Here the bottom and top element take over a furtherfunction of the switchgear cabinet and make it possible to do withoutseparate bottom and top trim elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This invention is explained in greater detail in view of an exemplaryembodiment represented in the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective plan view of a rack assembled from two verticalframes and a bottom and a top element;

FIG. 2 is a vertical side view of the rack;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the rack;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the rack; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a vertical profiled frame element,which can be installed in the vertical frame in accordance with FIGS. 1or 2.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As FIG. 1 shows, two vertical profiled frame elements 10 and twohorizontal profiled frame elements 15 form a vertical frame 20, whereinthe profiled frame elements 10 and 15 are welded together in cornerareas and form a stable, aligned component. Here, the vertical profiledframe element 10 can be embodied in a U-shape by a base leg 12 and twolateral legs 16, wherein the base leg 12 has at least one row offastening receivers 11 and the lateral legs 16 have at least one row offastening receivers 17. The fastening receivers 11 and 17 can bedesigned identically or differently and can be matched to theinstallation requirements. The shape of the profiled frame elements 10can also be different and matched to the installation requirements.

A U-shaped vertical profiled frame element 10 is shown by way of examplein FIG. 5 and has a first lateral leg 16 with a row of fasteningreceivers 17 arranged and spaced apart from each other at a uniformspacing. In this case the spacing grid corresponds to a grid in inches.A base leg 12 is beveled off at right angles from the lateral leg 16.The base leg 12 has two rows of fastening receivers 11 in a spacinggrid. At the end of the lateral leg 16 of the base leg 12, a profiledsection 19 is angled off and extends parallel with the lateral leg 16.The profiled section 19 makes a transition into a profiled side 18,which extends parallel with the base leg 12. A second lateral leg 16extends from the profiled side 18 at right angles and forms an interioredge 18.2. The second lateral leg 16 and the profiled side each have arow of fastening receivers 17 and 18.1, which are arranged in a metricspacing grid and are identically embodied and all are arranged at thesame horizontal distance from the interior edge 18.2.

In the installed state, the profiled sides 16 extend parallel with thefront or rear of the rack. The base leg 12 extends parallel and facesthe outside of the rack. The interior edge 18.2 points into the interiorsurrounded by the rack. The first lateral legs 16 (spaced in inches) ofthe vertical profiled frame elements 10 of a vertical frame 20 face eachother and are spaced apart at an installation distance of 19″. Theprofiled sides 18 and the second lateral legs 16 of the verticalprofiled frame elements 10 of the vertical frame 20 are arranged in ametric installation spacing. In this case it is possible to fastenbuilt-ins or units in the direction of the rack width to the secondlateral legs 16, and built-ins or units in the direction of the rackdepth between and on the two vertical frames 20.

The two vertical frames 20 form the front and the back of the rack. Ifthe vertical frames 20 are symmetrical with respect to their verticalcenter planes, they can be used in any position for the two sides of therack. Thus, only one identical component is required for both verticalframes.

When using the vertical profiled frame elements 10 shown in FIG. 5, itis also possible to form frames identically vertically which areinstalled and rotated by 180°.

The two vertical frames 20 are connected with each other by bottom andtop elements which, as the reference numeral 30 already indicates, arealso embodied to be identical. This component is embodied and producedas a simple stamped and bent sheet metal element and can make separatetrim elements for the bottom and top areas of the switchgear cabinetsuperfluous. Facing the two vertical sides of the rack, the bottom andthe top elements 30 have beveled fastening rims 31 with at least one rowof fastening receivers 32 or elongated holes extending in the depthdirection, so that the vertical frames 20 rest with the base legs 12 ofthe vertical profiled frame elements 10 against the inside of thefastening edges 31 and can be connected with them, as shown in FIG. 2.Here the distance 13, such as the installation depth, can be matched tothe desired installation requirements. The rear of the rack can beclosed off by a rear wall 50.

As FIGS. 1 and 2 show, the free edge of the fastening rim 31 can bebeveled off toward the outside. The bevel 34 can be used for theattachment of lateral walls 40.

The bottom and the top elements 30 are identically embodied and aresymmetrical with respect to the center extending parallel with thefastening rims 31. In the area of or near the horizontal profiled frameelements 15, cutouts 37 are cut into the plate 36 connecting thefastening rims 31 which can be used for the introduction of cables andthe like, the same as the cutouts 18 in the profiled frame elements 15.The plate 36 can also have a centered opening 35, as can be clearly seenin the plan view of FIG. 4.

In the area of or near the front of the rack the lateral legs 16 withthe fastening receivers 17 of the vertical frame 20 at the front areaccessible which, for example, are matched to the 19″ installationmeasurement of built-ins, as shown in FIG. 3. The bottom and the topelement 30 close the front off by bevels 33, which can be used forhinges and the lock of a cabinet door.

1. A rack for a switchgear cabinet having horizontal and verticalprofiled frame elements (10, 15), wherein the vertical and horizontalprofiled frame elements (10, 15) of a front and a back respectively formone vertical frame (20), wherein these two vertical frames (20) areconnected with each other by means of a bottom element and a top element(30), wherein the vertical frames (20) can be attached to beveledfastening rims (31) of the bottom element and the top element (30) atdifferent distances, wherein the vertical profiled frame elements (10)have a base leg (12) extending in a direction of a depth of the rack, towhich two lateral legs (16) are connected, the lateral legs (16) extendat right angles with respect to the base leg (12), and the lateral legs(16) and the base leg (12) each have a row of fastening receivers (17)extending in the longitudinal direction of the profiles in a spacinggrid, the rack comprising: the spacing grids of the two lateral legs(10) being different, the two vertical profiled frame elements (10) withthe fastening receivers (17) of the first lateral legs (16) form afastening level measured in inches, and with the fastening frames (17)of the second lateral legs (16) forming a metric fastening level, on anend facing away from the first lateral leg (16) the base leg (12)transitioning into an angled-off profiled section (19), from which aprofiled side (18) extends, which extends parallel with the base leg(12), the second lateral leg (16) being beveled off the profiled side(18), and the profiled side (18) and the second lateral leg (16) hhaving a row of fastening frames arranged in the same spacing grid. 2.The rack in accordance with claim 1, wherein the vertical frames (20)rest with the base legs (12) of the vertical profiled frame elements(20) against insides of the fastening rims (31) of the bottom elementand the top element (30) and are connected with them.
 3. The rack inaccordance with claim 2, wherein the horizontal profiled frame elements(15) have cutouts (18) through which cables are fed, and the bottomelement and the top element (30) have cutouts (37) near the horizontalprofiled frame elements (15) of the vertical frames (20).
 4. The rack inaccordance with claim 3, wherein the vertical frames (20) areidentically embodied.
 5. The rack in accordance with claim 4, whereinthe bottom element and the top element (30) are identical andsymmetrical with respect to a center plane extending parallel with thefastening rims (31).
 6. The rack in accordance with claim 5, wherein thevertical profiled frame elements (10) and the horizontal profiled frameelements (15) of the vertical frames (20) are stamped and bent sheetmetal elements and are connected by welding with the vertical frame(20).
 7. The rack in accordance with claim 6, wherein the bottom elementand the top element (30) each is a trim element of the rack and both areproduced as stamped and bent sheet metal elements.
 8. The rack inaccordance with claim 1, wherein the horizontal profiled frame elements(15) have cutouts (18) through which cables are fed, and the bottomelement and the top element (30) have cutouts (37) near the horizontalprofiled frame elements (15) of the vertical frames (20).
 9. The rack inaccordance with claim 1, wherein the vertical frames (20) areidentically embodied.
 10. The rack in accordance with claim 1, whereinthe bottom element and the top element (30) are identical andsymmetrical with respect to a center plane extending parallel with thefastening rims (31).
 11. The rack in accordance with claim 1, whereinthe vertical profiled frame elements (10) and the horizontal profiledframe elements (15) of the vertical frames (20) are stamped and bentsheet metal elements and are connected by welding with the verticalframe (20).
 12. The rack in accordance with claim 1, wherein the bottomelement and the top element (30) each is a trim element of the rack andboth are produced as stamped and bent sheet metal elements.